 a troubled
countenance. »Oh Nelly!« she added petulantly jerking her head away from my
hands, »you've combed my hair quite out of curl! That's enough, let me alone.
What are you on the point of complaining about, Heathcliff?«
    »Nothing - only look at the almanack, on that wall,« he pointed to a framed
sheet hanging near the window, and continued;
    »The crosses are for the evenings you have spent with the Lintons, the dots
for those spent with me - Do you see, I've marked every day?«
    »Yes - very foolish; as if I took notice!« replied Catherine in a peevish
tone. »And where is the sense of that?«
    »To show that I do take notice,« said Heathcliff.
    »And should I always be sitting with you?« she demanded, growing more
irritated. »What good do I get - What do you talk about? You might be dumb or a
baby for anything you say to amuse me, or for anything you do, either!«
    »You never told me before that I talked too little, or that you disliked my
company, Cathy!« exclaimed Heathcliff, in much agitation.
    »It is no company at all, when people know nothing and say nothing,« she
muttered.
    Her companion rose up, but he hadn't time to express his feelings further,
for a horse's feet were heard on the flags, and, having knocked gently, young
Linton entered, his face brilliant with delight at the unexpected summons he had
received.
    Doubtless Catherine marked the difference between her friends as one came
in, and the other went out. The contrast resembled what you see in exchanging a
bleak, hilly, coal country, for a beautiful fertile valley; and his voice, and
greeting were as opposite as his aspect - He had a sweet, low manner of
speaking, and pronounced his words as you do, that's less gruff than we talk
here and softer.
    »I'm not come too soon, am I?« he said, casting a look at me. I had begun to
wipe the plate, and tidy some drawers at the far end in the dresser.
    »No,« answered Catherine. »What are you doing there, Nelly?«
    »My work, Miss,« I replied. (Mr. Hindley had given me directions to make a
third party in any private visits Linton chose to pay.)
    She stepped behind me and whispered crossly, »
